Truss.



No. 655,96I. 7 Patented Aug. l4, I900. L. A; DEU-THER. TRUSS.

(Application filed Feb. 6, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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BY w W Attorney.-

THE NoRms PETERS co, Puoruuma, WASNINGTON. a c.

35 in Fig. 6.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LORENZ A. DEUTI'IER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

TRUSS.

'srncIrIcArI'ofi forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,961, datedAugust 14, 1900.

Application filed February 6,1897. Serial No. 622, 78- (No model To dillwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LORENZ A. DEUTHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Trusses, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved hernial truss and method ofconstructing the to same, and will be fully and clearly hereinafterdescribed and claimed,reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view show- 2 ing my improvedtruss complete. Fig. 2 represents an enlarged outside face view of theback pad attached to a fragment of the band. Fig. 3 represents a sectionon or about line 0 c, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detached face viewof one of the holding-catches. Fig.

5 represents a front elevation of the holdingcatch shown in Fig. 4. Fig.6'represe'nts a face view of a fragment of a modified end of thespring-band. Fig. 7 represents an enlarged front end view of the frontpad. Fig.

8 is an enlarged elevation of the front pad attached to a fragment ofthe band and showing the inner or convex side. Fig. 9 represents adetached sectional view of one of the supplementary pads supported onthe.

flexible perineal band, a section through a fragment of said band alsobeing shown. Fig. 10 is a detached side View of one of the elasticcushions. Fig. 11 representsa side elevation of the modified end of bandshown Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section on or about line a a, Fig. 8.Fig. 13 represents a transversesection through the bendable portion ofthe band on or about linee 6',

Fig. 8, the pad being omitted.

My improved truss consists principally of a spring band or body portionwhich is formed from a piece of white non-corrosive metal wire ofsuitable size and length. I preferably employ German silver containingabout five per cent. of nickel. This alloy is entirely uncorrosibleby'the sweat and perspiration of the body and always preserves its colorand untarnished appearance. In preparing the .said band I first annealthe wire and then flatten certain portions of it with a powerspringycharacter thereto sufficient for the purpose required.

Various devices have heretofore been used in trusses to provide means ofadjusting and holding the front pad properly and with sufficient forceabove the orifice of protrusion of hernia. By means of theunflattenedportion of the band I achieve a very simple, convenient, andpositive adjustment in any direction of the said front pad, a moredetailed description of which will appear farther on. I Referring to thedrawings in detail, 1 and 2 represent the portions of the band whichhave been flattened under the power-hammer, and 3 the portion circularin cross-section (see Fig. 13) untreated by said hammer.

The front pad 4 is also preferably formed of German silver and is provded witha surrounding inwardly-turned flange 5. The portion 2 of theband is provided with a bent end portion 2, terminating in a rivet-point2 In securing the pad 4 to the portion 2 the said portion 2 isintroduced into the pad end, the flange 5 turned over the edges thereof,and the rivet 2" passed through an opening 6 in'the pad and riveted.(See Figs. 8 and 12.) The back pad 7, preferably formed ofGerman'silver, is secured to the opposite end of the band by passing thesaid'end through slots 8 in the said pad and riveting or otherwiseenlarging the protruding .end of the band at the point 9. (See Fig.2.)

The perineal band 10 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) is formed of anysuitable web material and is provided at its forward end with a metalportion 11, carrying 'a T-shaped fastening device 12, substantially asshown in Figs. 4and 5, with the exception that the T-shaped device isnot bent at an angle from the metal portion, as therein shown, whichfits in the longitudinal slot 13 in the end of the front pad. (See Fig.'7.) The opposite end is secured to the metal band portion 1, so as tobe capable of longitudinal adjustment thereon, by looping the end ofsaid'perineal band around the said metal portion,- substantially asshown in said Fig.1. I may, if required, use any well known means forlengthening or shortening the said perineal band.

' The supporting-band is composed of any suitable web material,preferably elastic material, and is provided at each end with aholding-catch or T-shaped fastening device 15, substantially as shown inFigs. 4 and 5. The said fastening devices respectively fit and lock inthe longitudinal slots 16 17 in the ends of the body portions 1 and 2,as shown in Fig. 1 partly by dotted lines. It will be noticed byreferring to said Fig. 1 that the portion 2 is provided with twolongitudinal slots 16, thus permitting a slight adjustment of the saidband, if desired. If required, the said band 14 may be made in twoportions and the ends joined by a buckle or other well-known means, thusaffording a means for varying the length of said band.

Additional or supplementary pads 18 19 are secured to the metal bandportion 1 and the supporting web portion 14, so as to be capable oflongitudinal adjustment thereon. The pad 18, secured to the band portion1, is snugly fitted thereon by the band passing through slots cut in theturned-over edge of said pad, and while it can be adjusted by hand it isheld with sufficient friction to prevent displacement from its adjustedposition, or, if desired, a supporting portion rigidly secured at itsends to said pad, substantially as shown by dotted linesin Fig. 1, maybe used. The web portion 14 being fitted through and bent around thecorners of the holding device on the pad 19, (see Fig. 9,) the said padis more securely held in its adjusted position by friction when thetruss is firmly fitted on the person. A series of small circular holesor perforations 20 are stamped or otherwise formed at equal intervalsfrom each other in the spring portion. (See Fig. 1.)

The elastic cushions 21 are each provided with projecting pins 22, (seeFig; 10,) the said pins being arranged at a distance from each otherequal to the intervals between the perforations 20. By this means one ormore of the cushions may be secured to the band when desired byspringing the projecting pins into said perforations. The office of thesaid elastic cushions 21 is to hold the metal band away from the bodyand also to assist in preventing the truss from slipping or disengagingitself from its proper position. The said elastic cushions do notproject far enough to interfere with the sliding movement of thesupplementary adjustable pad on the springband. I may in some instancesencircle the spring-band with rubber by fitting thereon a section ofrubber tubing of suitable size and length.

In some instances I may dispense with the back pad 7 and in lieu thereofbend the end 22 of the metal portion 1 upon itself in a circular form,substantially as shown in Figs. 6 and 11. In that case a slot 23 is outin the circular-bent end 22, substantially as shown in Fig. 6, toreceive and hold the T-shaped fastening device.

Heretofore the perineal band 10, the supporting-band 14, and also allother supportportions to the shape required, but it hardens and impartsnew properties thereto, chang= ing their nature and endowing them with aspring function sufficient to allow the truss to be adjusted to theperson and held firmly thereto with a spring force. The portion 3remains in its original annealed condition,and while it can be easilybent in any direction required to properly adjust the front pad on theperson and with sufiicient pressure against the ruptured portion itstill preserves sulficient stiffness to keep it in any position to whichit may be bent.

I adjust my improved truss on the person as follows: The metal bandbeing placed around the body with the back pad 7 against the back, Ibend the portion 3 to the position required to adjust the pad 4 properlyabove the orifice of protrusion of hernia. The supporting-band 14 isthen secured to the respective ends of the metal band by locking the T-shaped fastening devices 15 in the slots 16 17. The end of the perinealband is brought forward under the limb and the T-shaped fastening device12 fitted and locked in the slot 13.

If the person upon whom the truss is fitted desires to prevent contactbetween the metal and the bands, one or more of the elastic cush ions 21may be sprung into the perforations 20 in the band.

In some instances it may prove advisable to use a band with its endconstructed as shown in Figs. 6 and 11 and adjust the sup plemental pad18 to the position desired.

The adjustable pads 18 and 19 are chiefly designed to be used aship-pads; but they may be placed where desired.

It will be seen from the above description that I have constructed atruss capable of being comfortably, easily, quickly, and properly fittedto any one, no matter how peculiar their form or where the ruptured partbe located, and a truss that will never give forth foul odors, no matterhow long it may be worn.

The means employed to lock the bands to the truss are positive andcertain, owing to the fact that they cannot be detached without turningthe fastening devices at an angle, which cannot be easily performedwhile the clothes are on the body.

It can be readily understood that in some cases the elastic cushions maybe dispensed with. In others one or both of the supple- ICC mentary padsmay be removed, and still in others the perineal band may not berequired.

In rare instances adjustment of the back pad may be required. In thatcase an unhammered portion similar to the portion 3 may be left near oradjacent to said pad.

I olaimas my invention A truss comprising a band formed of one integralportion of annealed metal in which portions are rolled to aspring-temper and other portions are bendable, and having a mainflattened portion of spring character curved to conform to the body, anintermediate short portion adapted to be bent in any direction, and ashort end portion extending from said short bendable portion having itsextreme bent at an angle and terminating in a rivet-point, and ahernia-supporting pad having its edge bent inwardly to form apardaily-encircling flange, one end of the pad being reducedsufficiently to embrace the end portion of the band and having anopening through which the rivet-point of the bent ex treme of the bandis passed and riveted, as set forth.

LORENZ A. DEUTHERi Witnesses:

'A. J. SANGSTER, JAMES SANGSTER.

